Quick Actions You Can Do Today to Simplify Your Life

You want to live a simpler life, I know. That’s why you’re here, right? To create a life of simplicity, contentment and optimism.

But can I tell you something? Your life will not change, you will not be able to create that life you want unless you take action.

Take action. And take it today.

I want to make it easier for you to take action and move ahead on your journey to a simpler life. So all you have to do is set aside some time – anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour to tackle one of the 21 simple actions below.

Just one is enough.

More is better, but one is enough to start living a simpler life today.

You just have to take action.

Action #1: Perform a Clutter Bust (10-45 minutes)

This is hands-down the best way to tidy and declutter a space in a short period of time. You can apply it to just one room at a time (strongly recommended), or if you’re feeling ambitious or particularly over-run with clutter – tackle all the main areas of the home.

Whatever you choose – speed is the key here.

How to clutter-bust your home:

Grab an empty laundry basket.

Choose a room to begin.

Moving quickly – pick up each and every item in that room that does not belong, or is out of place. Place them in the laundry basket.

Every single thing.

Once full, empty the contents of the laundry basket on the dining table or a clear space on the floor.

Sort items into piles – according to where they belong, as well as a pile for rubbish/donations/items that do not belong to you.

Working through one pile at a time, take every item back to its rightful place.

Complete for each pile and whenever you feel the clutter begin to take over your home.

Action # 2: Practice Gratitude

Recent studies have shown that those of us who are regularly grateful for the good in our lives are likely to be more physically active, feel more content in our day-to-day lives and suffer less health problems.

Sound good?

How to Practice Gratitude and Reap the Benefits:

Once a week, spend ten minutes writing down 5-10 people/acts/events/things you are grateful for.Just one sentence per entry is enough.

That’s it. Just ten minutes a week will have truly positive impact on your happiness and well being.

Is That All? Ten Minutes a Week? What if I Do More? Will I Be Happier?

The Gratitude studies have shown that over-doing the gratitude journalling may have the opposite effect. Over time we become immune to the feeling of well-being gained through gratitude and lose the positive benefit.

Although I personally tend to think it would take a lot to over-do this. I can see no harm in thinking on the positives each morning or as you go to bed at night.

Action # 3: Rearrange Your Living Room (1-2 hours)

I’m not entirely sure when “living room” came to mean “room where we watch television”, but that seems to be the purpose of most living rooms in most homes.

But really, you want the living room to function in a number of ways, not only as a space to watch television.

In fact, you really should take the emphasis of the room away from mindless television viewing and instead encourage lingering conversations, nights spent reading books and listening to music.

How to Reclaim Your Living Room for Living:

Look at the furniture you own and decide if it all needs to stay. Are you able to wall mount your TV? Get rid of the entertainment unit?

Try moving the television to a side wall, rather than the main, focal wall.

Arrange your lounges or armchairs to face each other, rather than the television. This helps to encourage conversation.

Bring a selection of your book and music collections out to encourage you to read or listen rather than automatically reaching for the remote at the end of the day.

Indoor plants help detoxify the air inside our homes, by filtering the airborne toxins and fumes through the soil. They also help provide a point of calm and have been shown to improve productivity.

Some plants that are particularly good for the air inside your home:

Dracaena (There are over 50 varieties of dracaena and all have excellent air-cleaning properties)

Peace/Madonna lilies (Spathyphyllum)

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Weeping Fig/Ficus (Ficus benjamina)

Bamboo/Reed Palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)

Getting the most from your indoor plants:

Leave your new plants in their plastic pots and simply place in a decorative pot. This means you’re able to change out your plants and pots without having to re-pot every time.

Spend some time being kind to your new plants, watering and feeding them well for the first few months. Slowly ease back on the TLC, allowing the plant to “harden off” and acclimatise to its new environment.

Clean the leaves of your plants regularly by simply wiping over the leaves with a clean, damp cloth.

Apply a slow release fertiliser every six months – in spring and autumn.

Pay attention to the changing watering needs. In summer the plants will need watering 2-3 times a week, while in winter this will drop back to once every 2-3 weeks.

Action # 5: Keep Your Dining Table Surface Clear (5 minutes)

Clutter attracts clutter, so a dining table with knick knacks, or papers or craft items permanently scattered across it will be far more likely to end up a catch-all for incoming mail, handbags, etc. AKA A Clutter Magnet.

If you desperately need something to decorate the space try one (and only one!) of the following:

a simple bowl of fruit

a houseplant – an orchid, for example

a beautiful vase with or without flowers

a simple candle

a table runner

a pendant light suspended above the table

a colourful bowl

Action # 6: Use the “Good” Tableware and Glasses. (Daily)

Even on random Tuesday nights.

What good do these items do, what joy do they bring if you keep them locked away in a cabinet to be used for special occasions only?

What’s more special than making memories with your family or friends – each and every night?

The Benefit of Using the Good Tableware:

no guilt at having them hidden away

less storage required as you use the good tableware daily and therefore won’t need a “daily set” of crockery

making use of something beautiful and special daily

practice mindfulness and gratitude by focusing on the gift that someone has given you

Action # 7: Create White Space

White space allows us to highlight items of beauty and meaning. Items that are special to us. Items that we are choosing to surround ourselves with.

White space is so incredibly important in creating a slow home and a simple life.

Create white space in your home:

Choose one surface – one wall, one shelf, the mantle, your bedside table.

Remove everything from that one space.

Re-distribute, donate or toss those items.

Wipe the surface clean and leave it completely empty.

Live with that empty space for a week, then put one thing and one thing only back in that space. Make it something beautiful or meaningful.

Appreciate it.

Action # 8: Prepare Yourself for the Morning. (10 minutes)

Preparation is half the battle in getting organised, so make your mornings easier – regardless of what they entail – by preparing yourself the night before:

Take one minute to clear the sink and wipe down the benchtops – it’s remarkable the difference it makes to your morning to walk into a clean kitchen.

Pull out your clothes and the clothes for your kids. If they’re old enough to dress themselves, then this is one less task for you in the morning.

Set the table for breakfast. An action as simple as putting bowls, plates, cutlery and coffee cups out means people can serve themselves as they get ready. Even young kids are able to pour cereal and milk.

Pack your bags. Prepare your work bag, the kids school bags or the nappy bag with everything (except lunches) that need to leave the house.

Action # 9: Find Storage for Your Kitchen Appliances (15 minutes)

Keep your kitchen as clutter-free as possible by keeping the benchtops clear of appliances.

Find a place in your cupboards for the kettle, toaster, blender and any other appliances that currently reside on the benchtop. It takes approximately 6 seconds to put these back after use and your kitchen will be so much easier on the eye and far less likely to become cluttered.

Action # 10: Create Secondary Storage for Pantry Items.

This one change will keep your pantry tidy and uncluttered – meaning you’re far less likely to waste food and far more likely to keep the pantry organised.

All you need is one or two shelves elsewhere in your house. Consider using a cupboard in the laundry or a shelf in the linen closet – providing it’s easy to access and out of view, anywhere will work.

About Going Green Gal

Being an avid gardener, born and raised in Indiana, I feel incredible blessed to live in sunny California & be able to grow my own food all year-round! I write a monthly garden column for the San Jose Mercury News & am constantly striving for tips & ideas on how to live a little more gently in regards to ourselves, our planet & each other – basically sustainability we can live with! As a fulltime realtor here in the Bay Area, I help my clients “Go Green” in & around their homes & communities.

I hope you will find my monthly Green Tips useful; & I hope you find inspiration in the monthly Garden Tips & the incredible Edibles You Can Plant & Grow!